Psalm 3. rA

The Book of Psalms

BOOK  I 

Section  1:  Saturday Vespers

Division  1:1 

Psalm 3 LXX

ψαλμὸς[1] τῷ[2] δαυιδ[3] ὁπότε[4] ἀπεδίδρασκεν[5] ἀπὸ[6] προσώπου[7] αβεσσαλωμ[8] τοῦ[9] υἱοῦ[10] αὐτοῦ[11].

κύριε[12] τί[13] ἐπληθύνθησαν[14] οἱ θλίβοντές[15] με[16] πολλοὶ[17] ἐπανίστανται[18] ἐπ'[19] ἐμέ.  πολλοὶ λέγουσιν[20] τῇ ψυχῇ[21] μου[22] οὐκ[23] ἔστιν[24] σωτηρία[25] αὐτῷ[26] ἐν[27] τῷ θεῷ[28] αὐτοῦ.  διάψαλμα.[29]

σὺ[30] δέ[31] κύριε ἀντιλήμπτωρ[32] μου εἶ[33] δόξα[34] μου καὶ ὑψῶν[35] τὴν κεφαλήν μου.[36]  φωνῇ[37] μου πρὸς[38] κύριον[39] ἐκέκραξα[40] καὶ ἐπήκουσέν[41] μου ἐξ[42] ὄρους[43] ἁγίου[44] αὐτοῦ.  διάψαλμα.

ἐγὼ[45] ἐκοιμήθην[46] καὶ ὕπνωσα[47] ἐξηγέρθην[48] ὅτι[49] κύριος[50] ἀντιλήμψεταί[51] μου.  οὐ φοβηθήσομαι[52] ἀπὸ μυριάδων[53] λαοῦ[54] τῶν[55] κύκλῳ[56] συνεπιτιθεμένων[57] μοι.[58]

ἀνάστα[59] κύριε σῶσόν[60] με ὁ θεός[61] μου ὅτι σὺ ἐπάταξας[62] πάντας[63] τοὺς[64] ἐχθραίνοντάς[65] μοι ματαίως[66] ὀδόντας[67] ἁμαρτωλῶν[68] συνέτριψας.[69]  τοῦ κυρίου[70] ἡ σωτηρία καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν λαόν[71] σου[72] ἡ εὐλογία[73] σου.

https://www.ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/septuagint/chapter.asp?book=24&page=3

http://biblehub.com/sepd/psalms/3.htm

All Greek notes are derived from the following authoritative resources:

AGL: The Analytical Greek Lexicon (Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1973)

Dana, H. E. and J. R. Mantey, A Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament (Macmillan, Toronto, 1957)

Psalm 3 Translation

[A] Psalm of David, when he was fleeing from [the] presence of Absalom, his son.

Lord, how are my adversaries multiplied?  Many arise against me.  Many are saying about my soul, “Salvation is not for him in his God.”  Consider.

Yet You, Lord, are my protection, my Glory, and the One establishing my crown.  I cry aloud to [the] Lord [with] my voice.  He answers me from His holy mountain.  Consider.

I … I am lulled to sleep.  I sleep.  I am awakened: because, [the] Lord lifts me up.  I am not terrified by vast multitudes of people, attacking me in [a] circle.

Resurrect [me], Lord.  Save me, my God: because, You … You strike down all my enemies’ futility.[74]  You break sinners’ teeth.  From [the] Lord [is] salvation.  On Your people [is] Your blessing.  Consider.

Commentary

The universal malice of the world against the Deity of God’s Son, seen in Psalm 2, is now directed against His humanity.  David is a prophet; he sees his own suffering, over against the promise of the Davidic Covenant.  He knows that God cannot lie, and that the covenant will stand in spite of the enormity of his sin.  He is so confident of this that he returns the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, certain of God’s promise even if he, himself should die (2 Samuel 15:24-30).  David sees what will one day happen to Christ.

Emphasis is on David’s utter dependence on and trust in God.  The Divine Name appears five times, thrice in the vocative.  The crying out loud, with tears, foresees the blood drenched prayers of Jesus in Gethsemane: the location is the same.  David’s loud cry is emphatic as well.  We must not overlook the emphatic pronouns, I and You.

Almost equal in emphasis is the notion of multitudes.  Quadruply repeated in MT, the Greek weakens the effect somewhat by using different words.  Still, the force of multiplied … many … many … plural multitudes (verses 1, 2, and 6).  While we grant the possible interpretation of ten thousands in verse 6, what is the point?  Isn’t the poetic force to emphasize the countless enormity and rapid inexplicable outburst of the world’s hatred?  The word is an expression of infinity in Hebrew, Latin, or Greek: thousands in the plural might as well be millions in our vernacular.

David does not lie down to sleep.  The verb is passive, he is put to sleep.  He does not wake up.  The verb is passive, he is awakened.  The cause of these actions is unstated, but God is the only possible choice.  Cruel hands will seize Great David’s Greatest Son and murder Him most violently.  Nevertheless, The Son’s relationship with the Father is so strong that this violence is merely a gentle lulling to sleep.  What the world sees as victory is defeat; and what is seen as defeat is victory.  ΙΣ ΧΣ ΝΙΚΑ!  The Crucifixion is God’s Greatest Triumph in history.

This is the Lord’s Resurrection, His salvation.  In great irony, the very same people, surrounding Pilate’s court, and the cross, like a vicious pack of wolves, have their murderous plot brought to futility.  The poisonous fangs of the enemy are broken.  The Lord Himself is the Author of Salvation.  In great irony, the very same undeserving people are the recipients of God’s grace and mercy.

If we would seek an explanation for Romans 1:4; I believe that we will find it first here in Psalm 3 and in Psalm 2.

The precious children’s prayer is taken from this Psalm.  We should see it from the assurance of Christ’s Resurrection.

“Now I lay me down to sleep.  I pray the Lord my soul to keep.  If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.”[75]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psalm_3

[76]

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[1] ψαλμὸς Masculine nominative singular noun ψαλμὸς, οῦ, ὁ from ψάλλω: an impulse, a touch, sacred song, psalm.

[2] τῷ Masculine dative singular article ὁ, ἡ, τό: dative of authorship.

[3] δαυιδ Indeclinable proper noun: Δαβίδ or Δαυΐδ, a transliteration of דָוִד, the name of Israel’s united-kingdom second king.

[4] ὁπότε Adverb: when

[5] ἀπεδίδρασκεν Imperfect indicative active, third singular of ἀποδιδράσκω, a contraction of ἀπο + διδράσκω: run away, escape, flee; when he was fleeing.

[6] ἀπὸ Preposition ἀπό: from.

[7] προσώπου Neuter nominative singular noun πρόσωπον, ου, τό: face, countenance, visage, presence.

[8] αβεσσαλωμ Indeclinable proper noun: Αβεσσαλωμ, a transliteration of אַבְשָׁלֹ֬ום, the name of David’s usurping son.

[9] τοῦ Masculine genitive singular article ὁ, ἡ, τό: genitive of fatherhood.

[10] υἱοῦ Masculine genitive singular noun υἱός, οῦ, ὁ: son.

[11] αὐτοῦ Genitive singular reflexive pronoun αὐτόϛ, ή, ό: here used as a third person possessive pronoun, his; the son his or his son; that is, David’s son.

[12] κύριε Masculine vocative singular noun κύριος, ίου, ὁ: Lord.

[13] τί Interrogative pronoun τίς, τί, τίνος, always with accent: how, why?

[14] ἐπληθύνθησαν Aorist indicative passive, third plural of πληθύνω from πίμπλημι: root, to fill; to accumulate, augment, increase, multiply.

[15] θλίβοντές Present active participle, masculine nominative plural from θλίβω: to afflict, persecute, press, press hard, squeeze, make narrow by pressure, be put in a tight spot; the ones afflicting, enemies, adversaries.

[16] ἐμέ, μέ Accusative first singular personal pronoun ἐγὼ, ἐμοῦ or μοῦ: I, me, mine, we, us, our, ours.  The accent was attracted to the previous word; so that they are pronounced as a single word, where με becomes a suffix.

[17] πολλοὶ Masculine nominative plural adjective πολύς, πολλή, πολύ; genitive πολλοῦ, πολλῆς, πολλοῦ: great, large, many, much; plural – the many, masses, multitudes; however, a distinct word from πληθύνω.

[18] ἐπανίστανται Present indicative middle, third plural of ἐπανίστημι, a contraction of ἐπι + ανά + ἵστημι: to rise or stand up above, against, or over; up rise, rebel.  Alternatively, a contraction of ἐπαν + ἵστημι: as soon as or whenever they rebel.

[19] ἐπ' Preposition ἐπί with accusative: motion toward, hostile, on, against.

[20] λέγουσιν Present indicative active, third plural or present active participle, masculine dative plural from λέγω: to address, arrange, declare, express, gather, lay, make a formal speech.  Stronger and more definite than λαλέω.

[21] τῇ ψυχῇ Feminine dative singular noun ψυχή, ῆς, ἡ from ψύχω: breath, anything that breathes, life, the life principle a soul.  Distinct from ζάω, ζωή which pertain to vigor, vitality, liveliness, living.

[22] ἐμοῦ, μου Genitive first singular personal pronoun ἐγὼ, ἐμοῦ or μοῦ: I, me, mine, we, us, our, ours.

[23] οὐ, οὐκ, οὐκι Adverb of negation: no, not

[24] ἔστιν Present indicative active, third singular of εἰμί: the copula, be, exist, is.

[25] σωτηρία Feminine nominative singular noun σωτηρία, ας, ἡ from σώζω: to save; a saving, preservation, deliverance, salvation.

[26] αὐτῷ Dative singular reflexive pronoun αὐτόϛ, ή, ό: here identifying David as the object

[27] ἐν Preposition of location or place: in the presence of, in.

[28] θεῷ Masculine dative singular noun θεός, οῦ, ὁ and ἡ: of that or whom prayer or request is made and granted; used as a singular – God; or of angels, idols, or men – gods, goddesses.

[29] διάψαλμα Neuter nominative singular noun διάψαλμα[τ], ατος, τό, a contraction of διά + ψαλμα: apart from the psalm, through the psalm, selah, consider, chant.

[30] σὺ Nominative second singular personal pronoun σύ, σοῦ: you, your, yours.

[31] δέ Conjunction, continuation: now, yet.

[32] ἀντιλήμπτωρ or ἀντιλήπτωρ Masculine nominative singular noun ἀντιλήμπτωρ, ορος, ὁ, a contraction of ἀντι + λήμπτωρ: helper, protector

[33] εἶ Present indicative active, second singular of εἰμί: the copula, be, exist, is.

[34] δόξα Feminine nominative singular noun δόξα, ης, ἡ from δοκέω: appearance, reputation, honor, worship, glory; here the Shekinah Glory of God.

[35] ὑψῶν Present active participle, masculine nominative singular from ὑψόω and ὕψος, εος, τό: the heave offering, to raise aloft, lift up, establish, exalt; the one who exalts, or is exalted (active in form, but middle in force), tower, exaltation, establishing.

[36] κεφαλήν Feminine accusative singular noun κεφαλή, ῆς, ἡ: chief, crown, principal, superior, top, cornerstone, head.

[37] φωνῇ Feminine dative singular noun φωνή, ῆς, ἡ: articulate sound, call, cry, sound, speech, voice.

[38] πρὸς Preposition πρός with accusative after verbs of speaking indicates the person addressed: to.

[39] κύριον Masculine accusative singular noun κύριος, ίου, ὁ: Lord.

[40] ἐκέκραξα Aorist indicative active, first singular of ἐκράζω, a contraction of ἐκ + κράζω: to call or cry out, exclaim, shout.  However, the form most closely follows the pluperfect in basic form with aorist or perfect endings.  Hence, the aorist is normally, ἔκραξα; the future, κράξω; the perfect, κέκραγα; the pluperfect, ἐκέκραγειν.  Whether, the extra letters are best explained as a prefix, or as an irregular form, the intent is clear enough: the shout is dramatic or emphatic and final as in τετέλεσται.

[41] ἐπήκουσέν Aorist indicative active, third singular of ἐπακούω, a contraction of ἐπί + ἀκούω: to attend, hear or listen with favor, answer.

[42] ἐξ Preposition ἐκ: out of, from.

[43] ὄρους Neuter genitive singular noun ὄρος, εος, τό: hill, mountain.

[44] ἁγίου Neuter genitive singular adjective ἅγιος, ία, ιον: , set apart, dedicated to, sanctified, holy.

[45] ἐγὼ Nominative first singular personal pronoun ἐγὼ, ἐμοῦ or μοῦ: I, me, mine, we, us, our, ours.

[46] ἐκοιμήθην Aorist indicative passive, first singular of κοιμάω: I was lulled or put to sleep, to death, killed.

[47] ὕπνωσα Aorist indicative active, first singular of ὑπνόω: I slept.

[48] ἐξηγέρθην Aorist indicative passive, first singular of ἐξεγείρω, a contraction of ἐξ + ἐγείρω: I was awakened, raised.

[49] ὅτι Particle of cause ὅστις: for, since, because.

[50] κύριος Masculine nominative singular noun κύριος, ίου, ὁ: Lord.

[51] ἀντιλήμψεταί or ἀντιλήψεταί Future indicative middle or passive, third singular of ἀντιλαμβάνω, alternate spelling of ἀντιλήψεται, a contraction of ἀντι + λαμβάνω: a term for the work of the Holy Ghost, to aid, assist, help, uplift; reflexive – he himself will help, lift me up.  The second accent was attracted from the following word.

[52] φοβηθήσομαι Future indicative middle, first singular of φοβέω: to be afraid, alarmed, apprehensive, dread, reverent, terrified, tremble.

[53] μυριάδων Feminine genitive plural noun μυριάς, άδος (α), ἡ: innumerable, myriad, ten thousand, vast multitude.

[54] λαοῦ Masculine genitive singular noun λαός, οῦ, ὁ: people (collective), peoples.

[55] τῶν Masculine genitive plural article ὁ, ἡ, τό: the.

[56] κύκλῳ Masculine dative singular noun κύκλος, ου, ὁ: round, compass, circle.

[57] συνεπιτιθεμένων Present middle or passive participle, common genitive plural from συνεπιτίθημι, a contraction of συν + επι + τίθημι: to lay, place, set, sit; set together on or against, placed or set in array against, join in attack, arrayed, attack.

[58] μοι Dative first singular personal pronoun ἐγὼ, ἐμοῦ or μοῦ: I, me, mine, we, us, our, ours.

[59] ἀνάστα, apocope from ἀνάστηθι Aorist imperative active, second singular of ἀνίστημι, a contraction of ἀνά + ἵστημι: to stand up or arise, to resurrect.  The connection with the resurrection of Christ is inescapable.

[60] σῶσόν Aorist imperative active, second singular of σώζω: to save.

[61] θεός Masculine nominative singular noun θεός, οῦ, ὁ and ἡ: of that or whom prayer or request is made and granted; used as a singular – God; or of angels, idols, or men – gods, goddesses; here used as a vocative.

[62] ἐπάταξας Aorist indicative active, second singular of πατάσσω: to beat, smite, strike.

[63] πάντας Masculine accusative plural adjective πᾶς, πᾶςα, πᾶν: all.

[64] τοὺς Masculine accusative plural article ὁ, ἡ, τό: the.

[65] ἐχθραίνοντάς Present active participle, masculine genitive singular from ἐχθραίνω, a contraction of ἐχ + θραίνω: to hate, be an adversary or enemy, at enmity; the state of alienation or enmity.  The second accent was attracted from the following word.

[66] ματαίως Masculine or feminine Attic (or Doric) accusative plural adjective μάταιος, αία, αιον; or adverb ματαίως from μάτην: empty, idle, vain; vainly.  Alternatively, Aeolic or Doric present or imperfect indicative active, second singular of μάταιόω: to bring to nothing, render futile.  Distinct from κενά.  Contrary to the lexicon we prefer to see ματαίως, not as something empty or vain; but rather as something made empty or vain, brought to nothing, rendered futile.  Any relationship between this word and cheek or jawbone remains a mystery.  See http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/

[67] ὀδόντας Masculine accusative plural noun ὀδούς, ὀδόντος, ὁ: tooth, teeth.

[68] ἁμαρτωλῶν Common genitive plural adjective ἁμαρτωλός, οῦ, ὁ and ἡ from ἁμαρτάνω: miss a mark, err, offend, sin, sinners, the sinners as a class of people; sinner.

[69] συνέτριψας Aorist indicative active, second singular of συντρίβω, a contraction of συν + τρίβω: to rub together, weaken, bruise, break, smash, shatter.

[70] κυρίου Masculine genitive singular noun κύριος, ίου, ὁ: Lord.

[71] λαόν Masculine accusative singular noun λαός, οῦ, ὁ: people (collective), peoples.

[72] σου Genitive second singular personal pronoun σύ, σοῦ: you, your, yours.

[73] εὐλογία Feminine nominative singular noun εὐλογία, ας, ἡ from εὐλογέω, a contraction of εὖ + λογέω: to bless, a blessing.

[74] Admittedly, a difficult word to deal with.  It appears to be accusative, hence the direct object of strike.  If not the direct object what?  The accusative article cannot stand alone, “strike the.”  The next closest accusative is teeth, which is required for break.  Vulgata wants to make “of my enemies” the object of strike, and futility its modifier; but enemies is clearly genitive modifying futility.  We may say that causelessness or vanity is better here than futility; but, to what end.  Clearly, the enemies of God have a cause which is neither void, nor without motive.  This cause, which was surely something, God brings to nothing: no plot launched against God has a hope of success.  David cannot be making the claim that he is an innocent victim here.  He has fornicated and murdered: this has resulted in his daughter’s rape and will bring about the death of four of his sons.  David is very culpable; indeed, he is guilty: his sinful actions have put the kingdom in jeopardy.  Consequently, whatever word of translation prevails, this is not about David, but about God’s response to His enemies.

[75] Author unknown.  See

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Now_I_Lay_Me_Down_to_Sleep

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